Classic Express Research project by Ilona Sie Dhian Ho

In a combined qualitative and quantitative research the influence of storytelling in concerts for children is analyzed. In a controlled setting, The Classic Express (mobile concert hall), groups of schoolchildren attend either a concert with or a concert without storytelling. The groups, similar in socio- economic background and age, are compared. In a quantitative research the involved listening, the felt emotional intensity, the interest in classical music and the interest in actively playing an instrument, will be measured. For quantification new grading systems are developed by scientists and musicians in a collaborative process. In a qualitative research on the influence of storytelling the focus is on children with severe learning disorders. The emotional responses of these children in concerts with and without storyelling, and in combination with participatory elements (moving, gestures) are observed by teachers and caretakers, They compare their observations in the concert to the normal behaviour of their pupils. Both Interviews with the teachers and their grading of arousal, attention and emotional levels in the concert will provide data that will be analyzed by the reserachers. This research is the first study of The Classic Expression Research Group, a group of researchers from the Royal Conservatoire and Leiden University, collaborating to provide new insights on the impact of presentation techniques in classical concerts.

The concert booklet

To collect data we needed to measure emotions and ask questions on the interest of classical music an playing an instrument.

We developed a so-called “Concertboekje” in which all the questions can be answered. Every child got its own booklet.

Emotion meter:

In this booklet the children could indicate their felt emotional intensity by means of well known emoticons and thermometers.

They first select the emoticon that reflects their feeling, and then how intense the feeling is.

Interest in classical music and playing an instrument

They respond to questions on interest in classical music and playing an instrument by means of thumbs that represent a range from very negative to very positive.

The concert booklet was designed by the entire research team under supervision of Marleen Groeneveld.

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